The Post-Crescent from Appleton, Wisconsin • Page A10

VIEWS WWW. POSTCRESCENT THURSDAY A10 GENIAL.LOVETT DANFLANNERY JAMIEMARA LARRYGALLUP SOCIALMEDIAEDITOR RICKHILSABECK TARAPOHLKOTTE BRANDTSWARDENSKI LARRYGALLUP CALL EMAIL CONTACT EDITORIALBOARD hesuddenspeedwithwhich itknockedhimoutofWis- consinpoliticsafter44years intheLegislaturewasshocking enough. Butthecontentoftheconversa- tioncontainedinthesecretrecord- ingoflongtimestateSen.Michael hitmelikeakickinthestomach. Hisdiscussionaboutsettingup shockingtome.Whatreallyhurt wasthathewouldevenconceiveof doingsomethinglikethat. ImetEllisin1988whenImoved toworkintheCapitolfortheSen- atemajorityleaderatthattime, ine.ElliswastheassistantRepub- licanSenateleaderanditwas quicklyevidentthathewasamong thesmartestinaSenatethathada IgottoknowEllisfairlywell CommonCauseinWisconsinin ularbasis.

alsowantedtoundertakecompre- hensivecampaignfinancereform. independentlegislatorwhode- spisedthefactthatdeep-pocketed special-interestgroupsofboththe rightandtheleftcoulddumphun- dredsofthousandsandevenmil- lionsofdollarsinfluencingelec- legislatorsandtherebycontrol themandruntheLegislature. Ellissupportedallthekeyele- mentsofeffectivecampaignfi- strictionsonwhenfundraising tiveleadershipcampaigncommit- duits.Buttheoverwhelmingmoti- ateadvocacyforreformwastobe abletocounterthemoneyand influenceofoutsidespending groups. otherhugeoutsidespendersin WisconsinpoliticslikeClubfor GrowthandAmericansforPros- samevehemenceasdidtheDemo- cratic-leaningoutsidegroupslike mittee. CauseinWisconsinwasproudto standwithEllis.Andthat’swhat hurtsomuchwhenIheardEllis talkingaboutsettingupthatsame kindofgroup.

financereformseemedtowanein whichopenedupthefloodgatesfor outsidespending.Eventheeffec- tivedisclosurelegislationhein- troducedwithlongtimecampaign financereformpartnerSen.Jon wentanywhereafter2011. anymoreandhedirectedhiscon- siderableintellectandpersuasive powerstootherissues.Andsoit’s beenawhilesinceweworkedto- gether.Butfor10years,itwasa strongandeffectivepartnership. Ellisshouldberememberedas thebrainsbehindtheestablish- chargedwithoverseeingelections finallyestablishedin2007.Ellis workedverycloselywithCommon CauseinWisconsinbeginningin cusscandaltoshapeandadvance finallypassedwithoverwhelming, ofsomelegislatorswhonowseek toweakenitbecausetheydespise itsindependence. legislatorforpoliticalreform.We achievementsinadvancingpoliti- calreform.Thatwasbeforebipar- tisanshipandcompromisebecame groundsforpoliticaldismember- AfterthealmostGreek-like tragedyofthelastweekbeginsto hopeMikeElliswillbecomeactive againintheincreasinglyurgent questtoreformWisconsinpolitics andcleanupstategovernment. Thereissomuchtodo.Hehas muchstilltocontribute.

JayHeckisthestatedirectorofCommon advocacyorganization.Hecanbereached COMMENTARY StateSen.MichaelElliswasaleaderoncampaignfinancereformandlegislativeethics. POST-CRESCENTMEDIA AFORCEFOR POLITICAL CHANGE Ellishadhistory go-toreformer ByJayHeck A mericaissacrificingitsfuturetopay foritspast.Promisesmadetopublic pensionplanshavebecomeimpos- sibletopayforbygovernmententities acrossAmericaandtheproblemcontinues toescalate. detractorswantyoutothink.Chapter9 bankruptciesinplaceslikeSanBernardino, Americaarebecomingthenormratherthan theexception. keepandalsomeetpensionobligations promisedbyfiscalerrantnegotiators.Ac- thedecadesince1999.Thisfrighteningtrend CityworkersandretireesinSanBernar- dinobalkedatmakinganyconcessionsto millionannualbudget.Theunionsmade allowingnewpublicsafetyworkerstoretire with90percentoftheirsalaryatage55 ratherthanthenegotiatedage50. Whointheirrightmindapprovedthese Whoretiresatage50withfullbenefitsand pay? Californiaandarebreakingthebacksof governmentandtaxpayersfacedwithre- ducedcityandstateservicestomeetthese obligations.

Democratsandpublic-unionmembership decriedGov.ScottWalker’sAct10,buthis boldandcontroversialmovekeptWisconsin afloatwhilemanyotherstatesandcitiesare drowningindebtobligations.Thosevivid imagesofunionmobsat thestatecapitolmightbe fuelfornightmarish dreamsforChicagoMayor RahmEmanuelandDetroit MayorMikeDuggan.Both nearlybankruptcitiesare facedwithhugedeficits backloadedbyexcessive unionemployeepension benefitsandsalaries. forChapter11protection. nyliquidatesassetstopay offdebts.WhenmunicipalitiesfileforChap- Unionseitherrenegotiateorthecourtswill doitforthem.Eitherway,thepromised pensionsandbenefitswilltakeahit. acrossAmericacontinuetomakepromises Legislaturevotedforanautomaticcost-of- livingpensionincrease.Thisfurtherbur- 36percentfunded. ThingsmustbeprettybadthatEmanuel, seriouspensionreformproposals.Herea- sonedthatcost-of-livingadjustmentswritten cutsinbenefitsmustbemadetoprotect taxpayersandbeneficiaries.

CriticsinWisconsinmadethisprocessof tryingtorewriteill-conceivedbenefitsto publicworkersapoliticalissue.Inreality, whenlookingatthissituationunfoldacross TheDemocratsandunionsattackedthe inpartcreatedandrefusedtofix.Theminor unionconcessionsofferedbarelyscratched thesurface.Toomuchpromisedwithout forethoughtnotonlycreatedinsurmountable future. Detroitunionworkersarelookingattak- inga34percenthitinbenefitsifthecourts concur.It’skindofironic,ifyouthinkabout it. areforcingadecisionbythecourtstostrike downAct10.IfWalkerwouldhavedone tomakedrasticpublic-workercutsandface inevitablemunicipalbankruptcies.Bank- ruptcieswouldhavebeendecidedincourts, leadingtothesameplacewhereweareto- ThisAmericancrisisisinitsinfancyand weastaxpayerswillcontinuetotakehitsin services.We’llalsobeaskedinfutureclev- erlywordedreferendumsandaddedfeesto paymoretocoverforthethoughtlessgener- hauntourfuture. DaveKendallisanAppletonresident. COMMENTARY Publicpensions willbeburden forallofus Appletonliquorordinance shouldbestrengthened electedofficialsandcivicleaders arepromotingtherelaxationof ongoingregulationofliquorli- censes.Appletonseemstobeapolo- gizingforthebadeffectthaten- forcementoftheordinanceishav- ingonoffendingbusinesses.

Theopinionsexpressedseemto implythatthelicenseholderhasno controloverthelossoftheirbusi- ness.Furthermore,thismoreliber- willbefewerviolationsandmore compliance. Theordinanceallows200demer- itsbeforealicenseisterminated. threeviolationsina24-monthperi- cation. immediate.Appealsareallowed andtheCommonCouncilmustact. Allofthistakestime.Ifcircum- bationseemtobeallowed.

Ifmyentirelivelihooddepended cernedabouthowmyemployees enforcedit.I’devenorganizestings ofmyownandtherewouldbezero toleranceforanyonefoundignoring theagelimitsimposedbythelaw. gofarenough.Don’tbartenders alsobemoreinclinedtoobeythe laws. Oneoffenseshouldbeenoughto causeprobation.Repeatviolations shouldresultinalifetimesuspen- sion. Moreshouldbedonetotheille- offendingpatronswouldbeheavily lessinclinedtobeintheestab- lishmentillegally.Ifviolations ratherthanrelaxingtheordinance, stifferpenaltiesshouldbeimposed onallotheroffendingparties. AllanHess, Appleton LETTERSTOTHEEDITOR.